How to write a great resume

There is a big debate whether resume should be spelt resume or résumé. Resume would mean to restart whereas résumé means a CV or Bio data. For the purpose I will use the spelling “resume” and not “résumé”.

A resume is the first impression you makes on the employer. The hiring process has, of late, become highly analytical and complex. A resume is the first point of contact of any organization with the prospective employee. The “personality” of your resume will determine whether you are even put in the first short list.  Therefore, one must consider getting help and having a resume professionally written and designed. The best resume is no longer a luxury, but is a necessity and a good investment.

In today’s fast paced environment no employer has the time to read through long essays detailing in extensive prose. The need today is to be to the point, crisp and precise. A resume should be designed to make the reader want to read more. Furthermore, a resume should be customized for each job that you apply for; highlighting the skills and achievements you have for that particular job. Thus, getting professional help for making good every opportunity cannot be less emphasized.

Most people write a resume as if its purpose was to land a job. The objective of your resume is to land an interview and the interview will land you the job. Backup your qualities and strengths with real life experiences. Don’t just make lists of “hard worker”, “problem solver”, “disciplined”, but back them up with real examples. Use the right keywords. Most companies are accessing online databases, even smaller ones. The HR departments will be running queries based on specific keywords. So even if you are the best person for the job and you don’t have the keywords in your resume, you will be overlooked. Try to guess the keywords and incorporate them in your resume.

Use effective titles. Employers will take less than 5 seconds to decide on your resume, so choose grabbing titles. Proofread your finalized résumé a couple of times. It would be difficult to stress enough, the importance of proofreading. Read it every time, before sending it out. No employer has the time to read long descriptive paragraphs, so be precise and use bullet points. It is a good idea to let your employer know; where you are going and how you want to get there. The overall theme of the résumé should revolve around this. Put the information in the order of importance, like starting with your recent job first. If you’ve had a long career it is best to restrict yourself to the past 10 years. Always talk about your achievements rather than your responsibilities. Try different versions of your resume, be creative and see which approach works best, for you.